This invention relates generally to electronically determining the status of a telephone or other device over a network. More specifically, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for obtaining the status of a called device and providing the status information to a calling device.
Literally millions of times per day, parties attempt to contact one another, only to find that the device initiating the telephone call receives a busy signal or is put into the phone mail of the receiving telephone when that telephone is off-hook. Not only is this experience frustrating for the caller, but can result in lost business or social opportunities on the part of the receiving device that is on the line speaking with someone else. In addition, receiving busy signals and the inability to complete telephone calls results in the loss of millions of dollars in revenue both from the time expended by the caller in trying to reach the desired device, as well as lost opportunities for commerce or other social contact.
Telephone line activity monitoring has been the subject of invention in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,416 to Theis, et. al. describes a form of line activity monitoring for the purpose of obtaining information regarding statistics of line usage. This system detects the usage of the line, but not transmit status information to others in any current fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,899 to Norwich describes yet another monitoring system whose purpose is to notify an operator that a telephone line is open so that a desired message can be delivered by the operator to a receiving party. This system comprises an automatic dialer which attempts to reach individuals on a repetitive basis until a connection is made. Again, status of the telephone at any given point of time is not provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,931 to Bourg, et. al. describes an integrated calling directory comprising a personal computer that stores information about the numbers being called. It does not address the problem associated with the called party telephone being in an off-hook condition. This is not reported in any fashion to the initiator of the telephone call.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,740 to Irribarren, et. al. described a communication system comprising a voice message system for storing and retrieving voice messages and faxed data and for converting text into voice messages. This system does not deal with the issue of how to contact the party receiving the phone call but only leaves a message for that party in the event that the phone is in an off-hook condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,893 to Onosaka is yet another information processing system having a telephone and an informational processing device. Again this invention does not address the issue of whether a called party telephone is in an on-hook or off-hook condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,002 to Brunson describes a system for synchronization of mail boxes over a network. This system is designed to ensure that information in electronic mail is complete in a series of different mail boxes. The issue of providing information to a caller regarding the status of a called party's telephone is not dealt with.
What is desired is a system whereby a calling device can pre-determine the status of a called device so as to maximize the opportunity for establish communications between those devices.